Friday, May 30, 2003

Seoul will be home to the world's tallest building when the 130-story International Business Center is completed by 2008 in Sangam-dong, western Seoul.

The Korea Foreign Company Association said yesterday that it received approval from the government to build the 580-meter building, in which space will be rented out to foreign businesses and a five-star deluxe hotel.

Chosun Ilbo (Burke Josslin, "MORE HEROIN FROM PONG SU FOUND," Seoul, 05/28/03) reported that Australian police have found another 75 kilograms of heroin that were smuggled into the country by the North Korean ship seized in a raid last month, the BBC reported this week. The 75 kilos of heroin were found buried in bushes on the southeast coast of Australia, the report quoted a police spokesman as saying. It is the same area in which 50 kilograms of heroin were seized from a vehicle in April, just before the ship, the Pong Su, was apprehended. The later batch was said to be identical in form and packaging to the earlier one.

Again, this should be no surprise to anyone who has watched North Korea over the last decade. Still, one wonders whether the powers that be in the DPRK realize that continuing drug smuggling doesn't make for the best PR. Do they care?

Joongang Ilbo (Lee Young-jong, "NORTH REDUCES REQUIRED TERM IN ARMY FROM 13 YEARS TO 10," Seoul, 05/28/03) reported that DPRK has cut the terms of military service from 13 years to 10 years for men and from 10 years to seven years for women. It is believed to be the first time the mandatory service period has been cut.

Only 10 years? Life is getting better in the socialist paradise on earth all the time!